Beer for the Baby!

[DustinBrimer]

No, its not really for the baby but it will be for the mother-to-be. She's a homebrew wife and isn't digging being brew-free for the next 9+ months. I'd like to surprise her with a special batch and my first thought was to brew something basically now and have it be "ready" at the end of pregnancy. Anybody have any suggestions on what would fit into that strategy?

Thanks guys!

 

[Hello]

A quad or a hefty stout. What beers does she like?

 

[drainbamage]

What styles does she like?

 

[DustinBrimer]

She's a porter/stout fan more than a heavy Belgian fan, but God only knows what she'll like once this cones to a conclusion lol. I guess it's a gamile no matter how you approach it.

 

[mauer_62]

cant go wrong with a Belgian Triple. the 9 months will give it time to age and the alcohol burn to mellow.(plus being a high abv beer all it will take is one for her to forget about the pain she was in)

 

[FirstAidBrewing]

I did this recently for a friend and his pregnant wife... I made a big barley wine as the celebratory beer and then did a parti-gyle "baby beer," idea being that the baby was the offspring of the big beer, being from the same grains and all. Just much lower in alcohol.

They loved it. If I were to do it again I would do this maybe with three months to go to balance the aging of the barley wine vs. the freshness of the baby beer.

Cheers!

 

[BrotherBock]

I just did this for my wife. She requested something citursy and summery. So I did a lemongrass wheat at just under 4.5%

After not drinking for 40 weeks she'll likely have lost some tolerance. Coupled with breastfeeding (if that's what she's doing) it may be smarter to brew something sessionable. Something she can enjoy in between feedings.

 

[SippinSudz]

Not sure if the plan is attempt to breast feed, but stout, and other dark ales are said to be beneficial to a new mother's supply. It gave me an excellent reason to buy cases of Guniess where I would enjoy a few myself before I got into brewing last year. Our kids are still toddlers and the midwives, doctors and even nurses here suggested Dark beer when the boss' supply dropped.

Go for a lower ABV of maybe 4% and create something full of anything you can muster up.

 

[drainbamage]

I like the "adult" and "baby" beer idea. It gives something big and suitable for aging, as well as something smaller that she can drink if breastfeeding (or just not feeling up to drinking high-ABV stuff right away).

 

[Schol-R-LEA]

No, its not really for the baby but it will be for the mother-to-be.

Ah, and here I was revving up to help you design a blackjack (a 21-year Barleywine or Old Ale). Still an interesting question, though, and yes, the partigyle 'mama beer/baby beer' isn't a bad thought.

 

[Cyclman]

RIS as the big beer, Mild as the baby beer. Yum, two styles I adore.

 

[soccerguy83]

I just did this Sunday, I brewed a West Coast Imperial IPA (her choice) to be ready when the baby is due.

 

[aprichman]

I saw someone buy a 3L bottle of Barrel Aged Nebula from my local brewery Block 15 who claimed they were going to save it for their newly born's 21st birthday. This thread reminded me of that

IMO I would brew a "baby porter" - something with darker flavors but closer to 3%. For the post baby beer, why not do a BIG stout and add some bourbon soaked oak chips. Should be great after mellowing for 6+ months.